


Amadeus Cho & Spider-Man in: One-Sided Enemies

by Chaotic_Good_Rowan



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types, Ultimate Spider-Man (Cartoon 2012)
Genre: Gen, I suppose?, Magic Tricks, One-Sided Enemies to Friends, The magician Amadeus comfort au no one asked for, the ocs are just theater staff and other characters from the show Amadeus is in
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28739652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaotic_Good_Rowan/pseuds/Chaotic_Good_Rowan
Summary: The Ultimates are told that they have to protect a famous Magician from a rumored murder attempt. Will Spider-Man be able to keep his thoughts to himself and prevent a huge misunderstanding?(Spoiler: The answer is no)
Relationships: Peter Parker & Amadeus Cho, Peter Parker & Ultimates Team
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	Amadeus Cho & Spider-Man in: One-Sided Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter agrees to go to a magic show with his two friends, MJ and Harry. If only he knew what was going to become of his attitude.

Peter scrutinized the ticket he was holding as the two friends in front of him looked at him expectantly.

“A… magic show?” He asked, rather bored by the idea. The tickets say, “ _ Amadeus Cho in: Prodigal Curse. MONDAY 6:00 PM. Dressing Room Pass. _ ” and then the seat number. MJ stares at him, her eyes practically shining.

“Not just any magic show!” She says, “a magic adventure! A story told by illusions and tricks!” He raises an eyebrow, not impressed. 

“Why does a bunch of card tricks warrant taking up an entire theater?” He murmurs to himself, and he feels MJ begin to glare at him. However, it’s Harry who gets his attention. 

“He only ever gives out three dressing room passes a show! And it’s entirely random!” He says, excited, and Peter sighs.

“If it’s entirely random, why do you have all three?” Harry scratches the back of his neck nervously.

“Well… you’d have to ask my father about that,” he says, “he gave me the tickets and said, ‘go take Peter out to that show’, but he gave me three tickets, so I knew I also had to take MJ!” Peter briefly wonders how the hell Norman Osborn could count that badly, but he shrugs it off. 

“Okay, but…” he sighs. He knows exactly who Amadeus Cho is.

He knew of the tragedy that had happened three years ago. The house explosion that orphaned the boy and caused him to go missing. 

Of course, the kid had resurfaced two years ago doing magic tricks in different bars and locations to raise money, until he finally had gotten traction and everyone around the world had heard of him.

The “great magician” that confused even the brightest of people, at the young age of sixteen. Ha. It sounded like a bad joke. 

It was a tragedy in itself that Amadeus had reduced himself to some kind of show. He could’ve done great things.

Peter sighs.

“Seventh smartest person in the world, and he spends his time doing card tricks for little kids,” he says, “kinda hard to be interested, to be honest.”

“Geez, I didn’t know the Avengers were little kids,” MJ deadpanned, and Peter did a double-take, alarmed. 

“The  _ AVENGERS _ ?!” He yelled, and he felt the rest of the cafeteria turn to look at him. He winced and didn’t talk anymore until most had turned back around.

“That’s right!” Harry said, “even the Avengers have gone to see him! Captain America himself said that it was one of the most entertaining things he’s ever witnessed!”

“I’m sure he was just… being nice,” Peter muttered.  _ He’s also like 90 years old _ , he thought. It wasn’t like magic tricks were that hard. It was all about sleight of hand and that stuff. He heard MJ sigh. 

“Won’t you come with us?” She asked, “you’ve been kind of distant lately, and I think this could be good for you! You’re always too busy studying, it’d be good to get out and have some fun! Even if you think magic is silly.” Peter paused.

It was true. He’d been neglecting his friends an awful lot lately… would Fury give him a day off if he begged really hard?

Peter thought for a minute, before sighing. “Alright. But when it eventually comes time, I’m going to point out every flaw in his performance.” MJ and Harry both brightened up.

“I don’t think you’re going to find anything,” MJ began, “thanks!” Peter shrugged, smiling as his friends seemed to be satisfied with his response.

It’d be an awfully boring night, but he could sit through it as long as he was with them. 

* * *

The theater was dark, and he sighed, checking his ticket once more for where he was supposed to be sitting. He blinked, looking at the very front, realizing that’s where the three seats were.

Well, it looked like Cho at least had the decency to place the seats for these tickets around each other. 

He shot Harry a smile, and he smiled back, nudging MJ towards the seats in the front.

“The curtains are purple,” he commented, “that’s odd.”

“I heard it was a special request,” MJ said, ever with the grace of a journalist and Peter grinned.

“Sounds like he’s a real weirdo,” Peter said back, and MJ elbowed him.   
“You could act like less of a dirtbag,” she whispered back at him, as the theater somehow got darker.

“How else am I supposed to get my daily quota of sarcasm?”

“Pete, shh,” Harry said, already way too entranced. Peter rolled his eyes, but shut up, looking up at the stage. 

The curtains opened, and his eyes widened at the set.

The trees and sky looked incredibly real, the path looking like it was actually concrete, the grass looking like it had been taken right from a field.

And then the show started.

A boy with short black hair, wearing a rusted green jacket with a red shirt underneath and jeans ran out from the side, a panicked look on his face as he huffed and puffed.

Someone was following him, and the person emerged. A dark green cloak surrounded the figure, the cloak tied onto his shoulders with a black jewel in the shape of a star, allowing nothing underneath to be seen. He was extremely buff, with black spikey hair and beard, a cruel grin on his face. 

“Come now, boy,” he said, “you know where it is, you’d be saving a whole lot of time if you’d confess, and maybe i’ll turn you into a more flattering animal!” The boy had his hands on his knees, huffing and puffing. 

“Where… is… what are you talking about?!” he cried. The man snarled. 

“The final ancient scripture, boy! I’d recognize that face anywhere. You’re the one in the picture that the elders had before I cut their years short!” The man grinned toothily. “The great Duton Aleksey never forgets a face!” Suddenly, from beneath the green cloak, a staff made out of a gross green and purple with a barbed handle was put into the hands of the enemy, and he pointed it at the young boy. 

“Though, necromancy  _ is _ one of the classes I topped in. I suppose I could just take the information from your corpse!” 

A gasp spread through the theater. 

The boy laughed, nervously grinning. 

“Well, I… wouldn’t recommend that.” Duton laughed, it echoing through the whole building. The staff seemed to glow a sickly yellow color.

“Goodbye, little child,” The man cackled, and the boy covered his face as a jolt of pure malice struck him.

The entire area where the boy had been was bombarded with smoke, a shout of “NO!” from somewhere in the crowd, and Duton grinned with malice. 

And then the look of malice slowly turned surprised and alarmed. Peter’s eyes focused on the smoke.

Suddenly, the clouds of gray were swept away, and in its place was…

The boy was there, but this time, he was different.

He was dressed in a rich red. It adorned his top hat (which also had a white stripe) and his cloak, which was held onto his shoulders with a bright green jewel that was in the shape of a spade, from a deck of cards. The same green was the cloth around his neck. White gloves covered his hands as his sleeves were black and puffy, his body dressed in black with gold accents. Around his waist was a red stripe with two white lines around it, holding onto a small red and white bag that was also shaped like a spade. On his feet were white boots that went up to his knees. Held in front of him was a golden staff that was easily almost his height, clearly the reason why he had taken no damage in the blast. The ends had octahedrons each, the same gold as the handle. 

Duton stuttered. 

“ _ Amadeus Cho _ ?!” A grin adorned the boy’s face.

“What’s wrong Aleksey? Thought you never forgot a face! This isn’t even our first rodeo!” The grin fell, and he sighed dramatically, leaning on his staff which he now seemed to use as a walking stick. “All this on my day off? Seriously, can a guy not go and get some cake anymore? I’ve been dying for a treat! Studying just isn’t doing it for me!” The opposing magician growled. 

“No matter, I will crush you!” The opponent’s staff glew that sickly yellow once more and Amadeus grinned, reaching into his bag and pulling out a deck of cards.

“You really don’t learn, do ya, Duton?” 

More balls of yellow were thrown at the magician in red, but Amadeus threw cards. The three of hearts was thrown, and once it absorbed the yellow, it turned into the king of hearts. The four of clubs was thrown and it turned into the king of clubs. The seven of diamonds was thrown and it turned into a Joker.

“Whew, that card was a rotten one! Thanks for the warning, Aleksey!” The green magician growled like a wild animal. 

“Enough!” The staff was hidden back in his cape, and what came out was a scythe. “You have been a pain. It’s time that I remove you from your life immediately!” Amadeus whistled.

“How many times have you said that to me?” Suddenly, he started spinning his staff, until it became a speedy blur. He threw it up into the air and caught it by the lower side, revealing that the staff was no more, and that a sword with a golden handle had taken its place. “What, like, a million times?” he pointed the sword at his opponent. “And how many times have you succeeded? Hmm… zilch?” 

Duton lunged, and Amadeus immediately blocked his attack. The two fought for a long while, grunts and quips were shared, and the two ended up on opposite sides of the stage. 

Amadeus quickly took out a giant, white sheet from his pocket while Duton lunged once more. He whipped the sheet, covering himself just as Duton sliced it.

The sheet fell to the ground, Amadeus nowhere to be seen. 

Duton froze, bending down to pick up the sheet, when a blur of red fell from above, landing right on top of his back. Duton howled as Amadeus stabbed the sword into his back, it coming out to his front, gaining another gasp from the crowd. 

The cloak covered him as he fell, Amadeus taking the sword out with a triumphant look on his face.

“‘The prideful old men will be toppled by the new generation’, that’s what those other scriptures said, right?” Amadeus laughed and shook his head. “You’ve never been one to pay attention to the lessons in their entirety. As long as one remains pure and kind, using their gift to better the world, their soul will remain young and happy. You let your soul shrivel up, greed overtaking you as soon as I entered your life.” He turned to the cloak. “That was your mistake, Duton.”

There was no answer. Amadeus stared. “Duton?” He kicked the cloak, before leaning down and picking it up, revealing there to be nothing there. Amadeus squawked, before letting out a cry of aggravation.

“A  _ copy _ ?! Are you serious?!” He groaned. “I just wasted my cool speech on an empty cloak…” He slapped his cheeks. Putting his hands on his hips. “God, that was a distraction, wasn’t it? Now I have to go find him… ugh, I just wanted  _ one _ day off!” He turned and ran off stage, the lights of the stage dimming and the curtains closing.

* * *

Peter was silent.

He was in awe for the entire time until the lights brightened a little, and an announcer said, “ _ The Second Act will begin in thirty minutes. Please be in your seats by then _ .” He blinked, looking up at the speaker. 

“Sooo… what was that about pointing out all of his mistakes?” MJ teased, Harry chuckling beside her. Peter glared.

“Well… um…” he tried, but he couldn’t say a word. He glared as MJ laughed at him.

“Come on! Let’s go to his dressing room! This is our only chance!” She grabbed the wrists of both boys and ran off, and one boy was definitely more eager than the other.

* * *

Harry knocked on the door to the dressing room, while MJ and Peter were behind. Surely enough, the door opened, and a head with a top hat peeked out, grinning. 

“I’m guessing you three are our lucky ones?” Harry nodded eagerly.

“That’s us!” 

“Well, come on in! I’d hate to keep you waiting!” Harry nodded again, and Peter couldn’t help but wonder why he was acting like that? He doesn’t think he’s ever seen Harry this excited… and that wasn’t good at all. Why has Harry lowered his standards so?

However, he enters the room (being pulled by MJ) and looks around.

The place is cluttered, not very professional of a famous magician. Papers and boxes as well as magic props are littered everywhere, posters that he can’t be bothered to read cover the walls. 

Amadeus takes off his top hat and drops a deck of playing cards in one by one. “So, my lovely guests, do you have any questions?” Harry nods.

“Yes! Um, sorry, uh, how did you start out?” He asks, “was this fame a gradual thing?” Amadeus laughs, and Peter decides right there and then that he doesn’t like his laugh. It was annoying. 

“I started writing my name onto event sheets in public places after I practiced a few tricks,” he said, “eventually I got the funds to go bigger and better. It was definitely a gradual thing.” He seemed to notice MJ writing something furiously on a notepad. “Eh, a reporter?” MJ flinched, before smiling nervously.

“Um, yeah, sorry! Did you not want this conversation to be reported?” Amadeus smiled and shook his head.

“I don’t mind. That reporter brain of yours got any questions?” MJ nods furiously, and Amadeus sticks his hand into his hat, seemingly to shuffle the deck of cards. 

Peter tones out the questions rather easily, and decides to observe the other instead. 

Amadeus answers the questions swiftly and easily, apparently used to guests acting like this, which was dumb. Who wanted to ask a  _ magician _ questions? It wasn’t like he was going to tell her how he did any of his tricks. What else could there be to ask about?

Why didn’t  _ Spider-Man _ get this kind of press? He was cool! He had way better quips than this guy. Hell, he helped protect the city, and all this guy did was magic tricks! Surely a superhero would get more popularity than a guy just trying to make a buck.

“And you, sir?” Amadeus asks, startling Peter out of his angry internal muttering, “do you have any questions? You’ve been glaring at me for a while.” With a dirty look from MJ and a concerned look from Harry, Peter nods. 

“Uh, yeah, actually, I have a question.” Amadeus grins. 

“What is it?” Peter stared.

“Why magic?” Amadeus blinks.

“Could you specify?” Peter hummed. 

“You’re the seventh smartest person in the world,” Amadeus nods like it’s obvious, and Peter squints, “you could be doing so many important things, helping so many people… why did you become a magician instead?” His voice is harder than he means it to be, but he guesses that it conveyed his message better.

There’s silence for a moment, MJ’s horrified expression and Harry’s own conveying second-hand embarrassment slowly dig into Peter’s psyche before Amadeus sighs.

“Well, good man, it seems you’re not aware of the one responsibility of a performer.” He grins, and Peter just feels like he’s being mocked.

“What’s that?” He asks. Amadeus winks.

“You’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”

“ _ The Second Act will start in five minutes. Please be in your seats by then. _ ” The speaker rings out, and MJ grabs his wrist.

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Cho.” Amadeus nods, but holds out his hand.

“Hold on, before you go,” he said, and reached behind him into his cloak, before pulling out an entire bouquet of roses and handing it to MJ. “I’d hate to see a pretty lady leave empty-handed.” MJ accepts the flowers with a smile, and Peter can feel himself seethe. Harry seems upset too, but he feels like it’s for a different reason.

* * *

As Peter suits up after he gets home after the second act, he’s just glad that it’s done and over with. 

He’s pretty sure that MJ isn’t the happiest person right now, but she’s going to have to simmer. He’s got work to do.

Besides, he needs some time to simmer down himself. After watching pure steel be cut in half by a tarot card, he’s pretty sure that he needs to check his sanity.

Amadeus wasn’t bad. He was incredible at what he did, and that was the problem.

Getting to the Tricarrier is practically muscle memory, and is an odd comfort. He supposes that it’s the familiarity that’s comforting. It’s weird. 

“Did you guys miss me?” He calls into the meeting room, sitting down. The loud groans of his team said it all.

“Where were you?!” Ava demanded, “we had to patrol without you!” Peter shrugged. 

“What? Fury gave me the day off. You’re lucky I came in the first place! Go on, bask in my presence!” The annoyed looks made him laugh, but he shut up once Fury gave him a look.

“For this week, you aren’t superheroes, you’re bodyguards.” He said, “I’m sure you’ve heard of the show at Queen’s Theater?” Peter tenses.

“Yeah,” Sam sighs, “I wish I could go… I hate patrolling aimlessly.” Danny nods.

“Amadeus Cho has a respectable career. It would be inspiring to see him perform.” He says, and Peter scoffs.

“He isn’t  _ that _ cool,” he said, “the show was… okay.”

Everyone turns to look at him, shock on their faces.

“You went to see his show?!  _ That’s _ what you were doing?” Luke asks, and Ava raises an eyebrow.

“Was it too hard for your nerd brain to keep up with?” She teased, and he glared back at her. Fury let out a sigh, and all attention was back on him.

“We intercepted a call,” he said, “that says that the lead Magician’s life is in danger.” Of course, they were talking about Amadeus. Right when he thought his suffering had ended for a while. 

“His life's in danger?” Sam questioned, and Fury nodded.

“Amadeus has been an ally to whatever heroes that he’s been around. He’s got information that we can’t risk getting out.” He says, “making sure this threat stays away from him is top priority. The assassin was given a deadline. He has to have the information by Wednesday, and Cho’s body at the same time.” Peter winced. Yeah, sure, Amadeus was an arrogant brat, but he didn’t deserve  _ death _ . 

“So, we’re gonna be staying in the theater for a while?” Ava asks, and Fury nods. 

“I have already informed Cho of your presence. You’ll be going over first thing tomorrow morning, as they have rehearsal.”

Peter sighs.

This couldn’t get worse.

Actually. Scrap that. Things could always get worse. He can’t jinx himself now. 


End file.
